Sunday, April 29, 2012

"The difference between reality and fiction? Fiction has to make sense."

Tom Clancy

Suggested Reading

Book: The Sweetest Touch

Author: Marie Higgins

The Book

Louisa wakes from a deep heavy fog, surrounded by strangers and
horrified to discover she's been the sole victim of a terrible buggy
accident. Worse... she remembers nothing.

Trevor Worthington,
Duke of Kenbridge, can’t trust women. Yet after nearly killing the
amnesiac Louisa, he has little choice but to open his home to her. His
heart softens to the straggly woman in beggar's garb as he strives to
help her regain her memory. As proof of Louisa's scars, both physical
and those lurking beneath the surface, come to light, Trevor finds
himself more and more drawn to the mysterious woman. However he is
hesitant to enter another nightmarish entanglement like his first
marriage.

Louisa is all too happy to accept employment in the
Duke's household though it quickly becomes apparent she doesn't fit in
at all! For starters she speaks French and has no skills to speak of.
Bits and pieces of conflicting memories flash through her mind, lending
more confusion to the puzzle of her life. Fortunately the duke proves
ever patient with her myriad of mistakes and Louisa finds herself
falling in love with the kind, brooding man. As their budding
relationship progresses from improper to scandalous Louisa's memory
begins to return. Dare she tell Trevor the horrible truths of her past?
That she belongs to an evil man known only as Macgregor.

As the
heartbreaking facts of Louisa's past are exposed and decade old
questions come to light, will the truth keep these lovers from
happiness? Will Trevor be able to give love another chance? Or will
Louisa's sweet touch prove yet another forgotten memory...

If you love Marie's other books, you will love this one as well. She has a way with a love story and every novel is guaranteed good read:-)

Sunday, April 22, 2012

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.

—Eleanor Roosevelt

And in the words of my favorite little green guy, Yoda when he was training Luke, who was convinced his ship was too big to raise from the swamp. Yoda showed him it could be done:

Luke: "I can't believe it."

Yoda: "This is why you fail."

Moral: What we think about we bring about. We can't let our thoughts defeat us.

Suggested Reading

Book: Small Deceptions: A Novel After the Style of Jane Austen

Author: H. Linn Murphy

About the Book

Francesca Kennington merely wants to be left to her studies, despite her mother's best efforts to saddle her with a rich husband. Then she meets a mysterious gentleman, who leads her on a romp through the ballrooms and countryside of Georgian England. How can their romance blossom when they have chosen to keep it a secret from their friends and family? All too soon the small deceptions become too large and Francesca's house of cards tumbles. Can she put things back together and still marry for love instead of money?

If you love Jane Austen, you definitely love this book.. Though I have never been much of an Austen reader (I love Charlotte Bronte) this was a fun story filled with quirky characters you will grow to love. Like other reviewers have said, the author really does stay true to Austen's style, and though you never know what Francesca will do next, you can't help but cheer her on when she makes her choice. This is a book I know I will read again:-)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Thought for Today"Whenever someone sorrows, I do not say, "forget it," or "it will pass," or "it could be worse" -- all of which deny the integrity of the painful experience. But I say, to the contrary, "It is worse than you may allow yourself to think. Delve into the depth. Stay with the feeling. Think of it as a precious source of knowledge and guidance. Then and only then will you be ready to face it and be transformed in the process."--Peter Koestenbaum

With all of the many trials and tribulations we face in the world today, it's good to know we never have to face them alone, even though it sometimes seems like we are single-handedly shouldering the weight of the world. As we experience these refining moments, it is sometimes hard to see the bigger picture and too painful to even try, but that picture is constant and never changes, only our view of it.When eyes are blurred with tears of pain and the heart is heavy with some nameless sorrow that rears its head at the most inconvenient times, it's difficult to see the light at the end of that emotional tunnel, and that tunnel even seems to grow the harder you try to reach the end.All we can do during these times is hold fast and press onward with the knowledge that as we endure, we will become stronger, and as we face trials of the heart that dampen and hammer away at our spirit, we are not facing it alone. Nor will we ever. If we can hold on to nothing else, we must hold on to that.

Suggested Viewing

Movie: CourageousFour men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they are confident and focused, standing up to the worst the streets can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge they’re ill prepared to tackle: fatherhood. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Sherwood Pictures, creators of Fireproof, returns with this heartfelt, action-packed story. Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That takes courage.

Movie: Fireproof

Lt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. Inside burning buildings, it's his natural instinct. In the cooling embers of his marriage, it's another story. After a decade of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that they are ready to move on without each other. Yet as they prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's dad asks his son to try an experiment: The Love Dare. While hoping The Love Dare has nothing to do with his parents' newfound faith, Caleb commits to the challenge. But can he attempt to love his wife while avoiding God's love for him? Will he be able to demonstrate love over and over again to a person that's no longer receptive to his love? Or is this just another marriage destined to go up in smoke?

Movie: Forever Strong

Rick (Sean Faris) is a star player on his dad's rugby team until a DUI lands him in a reformatory. While he's serving his sentence, tough rival coach Larry Gelwix (Gary Cole) allows him to play for his team, which helps Rick straighten up his act. Upon his release, however, Rick becomes a pariah to his former teammates and even his father when he refuses to divulge Gelwix's strategies. Sean Astin co-stars in this inspiring true story.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Have you ever had those days as a mother when you've felt ill-equipped or wondered if you make a difference? And what about to those who don't have children of their own? Have you ever questioned your purpose?No matter what our situation, we are still loved and valued more than we know.Motherhood Matters: Joyful Reminders of the Divinity, Reality, and Reward of Motherhood by Connie E. Sokol is an awesome little book of thoughts, quotes and experiences for women, both with children and without.

About the Book

Motherhood is a divine calling--but it may not always feel that way. Now you can show the women in your life how much they matter to you with this delightful and heartwarming volume of wit and wisdom about the divinity, reality, and rewards of motherhood. Fresher than flowers and sweeter than chocolate, it's a perfect gift for the women who give so much.

Combine homework, dishes, laundry, and carpools. Add in the unexpected, subtract time, and repeat daily until well beaten. Sound familiar? It's a recipe for Motherhood Madness. But life doesn't have to be this way. Find the cure in Motherhood Matters.

This delightful little volume, filled with wit and wisdom, presents a straightforward look at the divinity, reality, and rewards of being a mother. With clarity and concision, Connie E. Sokol shares inspirational messages that will fit families everywhere on the road to a better way of life.

Whether your children are preschoolers or teenagers--or preschoolers who act like teenagers and vice versa--this book is guaranteed to help you find memories in the mayhem and treasures in your to-do lists. Fresher than flowers and without all the guilt of chocolates, Motherhood Matters is the perfect gift for the women in your life who give so much.

I love this book and I'm sure I will read through it over and over because it's so positive and uplifting.Motherhood Matters is available on Amazon.com

Thursday, April 5, 2012

They are so many amazingly talented authors out there and I've been privileged to meet and get to know a few of them. Wendy Hales is one of these awesome writers. Her book Immortal Becoming (The Enlightened Species Book One) is a fast-paced paranormal romance that is very much on the steamy side, which will appeal to some and some it won't. Wendy is not only talented, but bubbly and exudes so much fun, you can't help but smile when you talk to her. She was gracious enough to answer some questions and help us get to know her better.

Wendy, tell us a little about yourself.

Wendy: I'm a small town girl! Family is everything even when they drive me out of my mind. My husband and I own a coffee shop that keeps us both busy and it's a lot of fun too. Our children are grown and moved out. Awww the peace of an empty nest is bliss. I have two granddaughters and a new grandson. Grandchild are parents reward for surviving our kids teenage years! I have a Boston Terrier named Tank. He thinks he's big so I gave him a big-doggie name rather than crushing his ego. My husband, however, doesn't feel the same. He's saddle Tank with the nick-name Freaktard. I love golf, I've also found pounding the drums of a good game of Rock Band quite liberating.

See what I mean? You're just oozing with the fun gene:-) When did you start writing and why?

Wendy: Honestly I can't remember a time I didn't write. I got an D in English and an A in creative writing (Figures, they didn't grade on grammar.). Needless to say that is the most difficult part of the craft for me. Luckily I have MAD check writing skills when it comes to paying people far more qualified than myself for things like that while I continue to learn. I passed math by writing a paper on some abstract math theory rather than actually doing my homework. The only thing I excelled at where sports and writing. I try not to take the gift of storytelling for granted, but it comes very naturally. Writing mechanics will be my task master for life. I read my first romance novel when I was eleven I still remember the title, Skye O'Malley. Grounded at the time, I pillaged it out of my mom's personal book stash. Way too old for me but I've had a love affair with romance ever since.

I can relate. I was reading Harlequin at twelve and couldn't get enough of them:-) How did you come up with Immortal Becoming?

Wendy: I had an idea for a story about some of the different species I'd created for past short stories written for personal amusement coming together in under a symbiotic dream. I narrowed them down to represent Earth with 'pre-enlightened' humanity. Air with winged vampires with a Latin based name of Volaticus (The Hulven/Elven race definitions developed later). The center of the earth with Tellus, and the Aquaties have water. I researched for months to create the different social spheres, demographics, strife, lifestyles, communities etc. for each species. Looked for Lore, Myths, legends, psychic abilities that could be applicable to each one, then strove to make them benefit and need the others in some way. Ironically I built the world before Jess & Shane were glimmers in my mind. Truth is, I never set out to write a novel, let alone a series. When Jess started poking in my head incessantly, I listened. After a while, I saw finishing my first full novel as a challenge.

Do you have any upcoming projects?

Wendy: I do!Shadow Revealed, The Enlightened Species Book Two will hopefully be released this month. Shadowed Magic, A Novella of The Enlightened Species is targeted for End of May/First of June.Fires Touch, The Enlightened Species Book Three is what I'm currently writing.

Busy, busy lady. Thanks for taking the time to let us get to know you better.Immortal Becoming is available on Amazon.com